Stereo Reciever as headphone Amp

[michael0408]

Hello,
 
I am currently using my Fiio E10k->HD 600 and now I am looking to upgrade my headphone amp. Since I also need a CD Player I am thinking about buying a Stereo headphone amp with a built in CD Player from Denon at about 200€. The setup would be PC->Fiio E10k line out->Amp. Will this setup be worse than a dedicated headphone amp at this price point or will the sound quality of the built in stereo amplifier be much worse? And do you have any recommendations?
Thanks for your answer.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Why get a internal CD player for the PC, then you can play Audio-CDs from your PC?
And just get a stand alone headphone amplifier and connect it to the E10K's line-output.

 

[noxa]

Agree don't with the above, seems an odd way of doing it tbh. I sometimes run my headphones out of my AV Reciever and get decent results.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Hello,
 
I am currently using my Fiio E10k->HD 600 and now I am looking to upgrade my headphone amp. Since I also need a CD Player I am thinking about buying a Stereo headphone amp with a built in CD Player from Denon at about 200€. The setup would be PC->Fiio E10k line out->Amp. Will this setup be worse than a dedicated headphone amp at this price point or will the sound quality of the built in stereo amplifier be much worse? And do you have any recommendations?
Thanks for your answer.

 

 

That's not a headphone amp with a built in CDP, that's a CDP with a built in headphone amp. Does it even have a line input?

Also, while this isn't a problem for the HD600 at 300ohms, most products from traditionally speaker amp manufacturers tend to deny the existence of low impedance headphones. Barring newer DAC-HPamps, the headphone output on CDPs and integrated amps even if they're driven by the speaker output stage tend to have a high output impedance. My Grados sounded like tin cans on NADs and Rotels, even my Marantz CDP. The HD600 barely had any issues, at least nothing obviously unlistenable until you do back to back with an actual headphone amp. Even Musical Fidelity which has been making the X-series released the V-series with very high gain and high output impedance, and the current V90 line sorted out the gain but still has a high output impedance.

 

[dgindlespergerd]

I see a fair amount of folks on the "Show us your Set Up" with receivers.I was wondering if I went from the X1 to the Valhaala 2 and used it as a pre amp how much would I gain or lose. Or even if it would make a difference. I was thinking that my current receiver would suck as it does 7.1 sound but the headphone jack reads it feeds from the front L and R channels only. For Music I dont think it would make a difference, but I always say better to ask the experts. Any thoughts? I know this question has been brought up a few times and opinions greatly very .

 

[buke9]

A lot of those that use receivers are using vintage receivers and high impedance cans.

 

[dgindlespergerd]

does it really make a difference above just using an headphone amp?

 

[buke9]

That is one of those subjective questions. Headphone amps were made for headphones and the vintage amps do well with them. I myself don’t have any 70’s receivers to say but I trust those that do. Is it better I’m sure that goes back to the subjective thing again. It is always in the ear of the beholder. Not a good answer but just a honest one.

 

[Monsterzero]

does it really make a difference above just using an headphone amp?

Youre not asking the correct questions.You should be asking what are the reasons to choose one over the other.

Can a dedicated HP amp be better than a vintage receiver for driving HPs?Absolutely.
Can a vintage receiver be better than a HP amp?Absolutely.

How many HP amps can:

drive planars and hard to drive headphones?
drive speakers and subwoofer?
have separate bass,mids and treble control?
have a built in loudness button?
have enough inputs to connect CD players/reel to reel,tape decks?
can listen to AM/FM?
have a built in phono stage?
Can do all those things and be bought for as little as 50.00 usd?

I do not know of a single HP amp that can do all those things.In addition if you own a very hard to drive headphone(HE6,Abyss)your common Schiit gear wont cut it.You will need to drop 4 digits most likely to get them going.Those power hungry beasts can driven directly off of the speaker taps of vintage gear.


The downside to vintage gear is that thy are old and need servicing,are rather large and thats about it.

Vintage gear used the main speaker amps to drive headphones,with a simple resistor built -in.Modern receivers typically have a separate,weak HP amp instead.

PS....We wont even discuss how damn sexy vintage gear is!

 

[Mowgli]

Youre not asking the correct questions.You should be asking what are the reasons to choose one over the other.

Can a dedicated HP amp be better than a vintage receiver for driving HPs?Absolutely.
Can a vintage receiver be better than a HP amp?Absolutely.

How many HP amps can:

drive planars and hard to drive headphones?
drive speakers and subwoofer?
have separate bass,mids and treble control?
have a built in loudness button?
have enough inputs to connect CD players/reel to reel,tape decks?
can listen to AM/FM?
have a built in phono stage?
Can do all those things and be bought for as little as 50.00 usd?

I do not know of a single HP amp that can do all those things.In addition if you own a very hard to drive headphone(HE6,Abyss)your common Schiit gear wont cut it.You will need to drop 4 digits most likely to get them going.Those power hungry beasts can driven directly off of the speaker taps of vintage gear.


The downside to vintage gear is that thy are old and need servicing,are rather large and thats about it.

Vintage gear used the main speaker amps to drive headphones,with a simple resistor built -in.Modern receivers typically have a separate,weak HP amp instead.

PS....We wont even discuss how damn sexy vintage gear is!

My 2275 with a couple of black eyes plays my new 600 ohm 880s nicely.
I have an JDS Labs Objective2 arriving tomorrow.
I'm still confused about something.
If I hook the O2 to the M's AUX out with an RCAs-to-3.5mm-adapter will I retain use of the Marantz preamp?
I'll lose use of the tone controls if I use the dubbing jack right?

Here's the schematic for a 2275 that someone at SHF was nice enough to post
330 ohm in series, with 150 ohm to ground

 

[Monsterzero]

My 2275 with a couple of black eyes plays my new 600 ohm 880s nicely.
I have an JDS Labs Objective2 arriving tomorrow.
I'm still confused about something.
If I hook the O2 to the M's AUX out with an RCAs-to-3.5mm-adapter will I retain use of the Marantz preamp?
I'll lose use of the tone controls if I use the dubbing jack right?

Here's the schematic for a 2275 that someone at SHF was nice enough to post
330 ohm in series, with 150 ohm to ground

Im not quite sure TBH,as Ive never felt the need to bi-amp a receiver,and frankly i dont understand why you would even want to,but thats another topic for another day.
TBH Im not sure if any of my gear even has an AUX out.....

 

[davidland]

cool thread!

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

My 2275 with a couple of black eyes plays my new 600 ohm 880s nicely.
I have an JDS Labs Objective2 arriving tomorrow.
I'm still confused about something.
If I hook the O2 to the M's AUX out with an RCAs-to-3.5mm-adapter will I retain use of the Marantz preamp?
I'll lose use of the tone controls if I use the dubbing jack right?

Here's the schematic for a 2275 that someone at SHF was nice enough to post
330 ohm in series, with 150 ohm to ground

If you use the monitor/tape out it will bypass those and be a standard line-out in theory. I wouldn't use the pre-out otherwise you are double amping

 

[Mowgli]

If you use the monitor/tape out it will bypass those and be a standard line-out in theory. I wouldn't use the pre-out otherwise you are double amping

So unless I like flat response a dedicated HP amp would be useless for me.
I like what I hear from the phone jack. It won't hurt it to just run 600 ohm phones from the jack right?

I do like 90% of what I hear set flat out through the jack but I should at least try the O2 (from tape out) to compare.
Back In Black needed a big bass and small mid bump for my ears. Helmut Walcha's Bach Art Of The Fugue on organ needed a bump.
Van Halen Fair Warning, Traffic Shootout & Low Spark, Stones Tattoo, Zeppelin HotH, Haydn symphonies & Who's Next all sound mighty fine set flat.

 

[Monsterzero]

It won't hurt it to just run 600 ohm phones from the jack right?

See that YouTube link in my signature?Click on it and watch my video on the AKG K240 sextetts,which are 600ohm headphones.I talk about vintage gear +hard to drive headphones.

I will make a video soon just on vintage receivers as headphone amps.